stoney,
interesting point about oil. recession coming but oil up? i think oil has alot to do with opec comments today but still,they are buying oil.keep in mind its hurricane season and we have the emerging markets buying oil so perhaps we do go into recession and oil still stays above 70. i actually do not see how we avoid recession due to the whole expansion being predicated upon housing/home equity loans. think about it,so many people got home equity loans to go on buying spree's. housing values were inlated so much to the point that mortgage lenders would actually ask what the home owner wanted their home valued at.i remember when i got a home equity,they asked me how much my home was worth and i just sold them 900,000. it was ridiculous. i paid mine off but so many people can't.